Little Red
by Coutuva
Summary: Akane discovers that no matter how much time passes, some things - and some people - never ever change. And she also discovers how sometimes, that can be turn out to be a blessing in disguise.
1. Chapter 1

This is a little something based on things that could have happened after the failed wedding. It makes a few assumptions, but then again, it's Fanfic!

As always, C&C is anticipated, accepted, and appreciated.  
All original Ranma1/2 Characters and Backstory Copyright Rumiko Takahashi, and are used without permission.

Please Enjoy!  
Coutuva.

Little Red - Part One

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"Did they get there yet?" Tendou Akane asked, eyeing her young assistant levelly.

"H-Hai. They arrived in the town just this morning. They are at the location now, and ready for the shoot," the young man flustered, nervously.

Akane huffed, then lifted her feet down off the desk, sat up in her chair and glared at him again. "At last. And just exactly what was it again that cost us an entire day?"

The young man flustered, then finally shrugged sheepishly.

She rolled her eyes. "Thought so. Get over there and oversee the setup. We have to be out of that town by Thursday, and we still haven't shot a single damned frame. Hiyaku!" she snapped, waving him out the door.

"Hai, Tendou-sama," he stammered, as he backed away and beat a hasty retreat. As the door closed behind him, she shook her head sadly and sighed out loud. Reaching to the phone, she buzzed her senior assistant.

"Hai, Tendou-san?" the pleasant young voice responded.

"Miyuki, call the agency. I'm going to need a new junior production assistant - again. And tell them to send someone with a brain this time," she instructed, curtly.

"Yes, Ma'am," the girl responded, apparently sensing that her boss was in no mood to chat.

Akane released the button and turned her attention to her computer, and as she scanned through the numbers from her latest project, her expression grew angrier. The budget was way over, production was two weeks behind, and their contract for the location shoot was about to run out.

"Just great. If this thing works, it'll be a miracle," she grumbled to herself, flicking off the monitor. Reaching once more for her intercom, she buzzed her assistant again as she started to gather a few documents from her desk. "Miyuki, I'm going to baby-sit the location. If something comes up, you can reach me on my cell," she announced, flatly.

"Hai. See you when you get back," the girl responded, her voice still pleasant. Akane stared at the phone for a minute, awed yet again at what a goldmine she had in the girl. She could still sound completely upbeat and unruffled, even after being snarled at all day. She smiled as she realized that it must have come from the girl's mother, since Kasumi was the only person she knew that had such tolerance.

Tossing her briefcase in her car, she stepped in and started off toward the site of the location shoot, anxious to see at least one part of the project go smoothly. She still had three days left of the deal, but there remained about the same amount of shooting, so she knew it was going to be tight.

An hour and a half later, she arrived at the location just outside Izumo, and could see the crew getting one of the sets dressed. As she rolled to a stop outside the location office trailer, she was greeted by the Director and the Location Supervisor.

"Tendou-sama? Why have you come? Is there a problem?" the Director asked, apparently unnerved by the Head of the studio showing up at the location. Unannounced.

Exactly as she planned.

"I'm just here to see that there isn't. This effort is getting out of control, financially and otherwise. We've never had a project go over schedule or budget, and I don't intend to start now. Do either of you have a problem with that?" she responded, eyeing each in turn.

"Oh, no - of course not! We were just surprised to see you. We will do our best, Tendou-sama," the two men abruptly bowed, at which she huffed and turned to walk away.

"See that you do," she added, and headed into the trailer. The two men, upon rising from their bows, looked at each other in surprise.

"No wonder she's not married anymore," the Supervisor quipped, frowning.

A short while later, she stood a few feet back from the cameras and intently watched the day's first filming. She was happy to see it all go well, especially when the horses in the scene got their marks the first time. Having experienced working with animals, and knowing how costly uncooperative ones could be, she was impressed. Leaning down to the Location Manager,  
she tapped his headset to get his attention.

"H-Hai?" he asked, startled.

"Where did you get those animals? They look great, and even know what they're doing," she asked, shaking her head.

"A local breeder. They even supplied the transportation and the wranglers. We've been impressed, too - if the actors worked as well as they did, we'd be done today!" he indicated, venturing a smile.

"Good move. I might just keep you around after all," she smirked, eliciting a hard swallow from the Manager.

Looking back over the commotion that resulted as the crew struck the set, she could see the three horses tied together at a makeshift hitch bar. As she admired them, she saw a person clad in denim and sporting a weathered cowboy hat walk toward them.

Her eyebrow raised as she noticed that the animals all tried to turn toward the individual, who walked up and affectionately hugged each one's neck in turn. She couldn't put a finger on it, but there was a familiarity about the person that caught her attention, even though she was sure she'd never met anyone like that.

The horses dwarfed the figure, who Akane noticed was female, but that didn't seem to matter to whoever it was. The woman simply untied all of the animals, then just turned and walked away, gesturing for them to follow her. To Akane's surprise, that's exactly what they did, even with all the noise and commotion going on around them.

They were led off to a temporary paddock, where the woman removed their tack and ushered them in, then effortlessly lobbed a couple of full-sized haybales over the fencing. She then climbed the fence and talked animatedly to the horses, spending several minutes with them before finally putting away their tack.

She found herself wishing she had people that dedicated working for her, and made a mental note to send the Breeder a special thank-you.

Abruptly, her cell phone rang, dragging her attention back to the business of the film. As she answered it however, she cast one more glance at the paddock, just in time to see the woman wave to the horses and walk off behind a storage shed.

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When the next scene was dressed and ready for shooting, she again stood behind the cameras, watching everything intently. As the Director called 'Action", and the actors began the fight scene that had been three weeks in rehearsal, her face slowly darkened. Stomping over to the Director after the cut, she glared at him and motioned for him to join her off the set.

"We needed three weeks to rehearse that? It was terrible! I used to see better fights than that in my back yard! You've got one more take to fix it, or I'll find someone who will!" she snarled angrily, then turned and stormed away.

Still fuming as she strode by the open area between the trailers, her attention was abruptly caught by an excited yell. Looking toward the sound, she spotted the young woman she had seen earlier. She was racing around the open area on one of the horses, and Akane noticed her huge bright smile even under her hat. Taken by the sight, she stopped to watch the antics of the pair, noticing how the girl seemed completely at ease, and how the horse seemed to know exactly what the girl wanted from it.

She somehow found herself drawn to the amazing sight, unable to tear her eyes away. Just as she was wondering why, the girl urged her horse into a fast gallop - fast enough to blow her hat off, and reveal a tightly tied head of flame-red hair.

Her gasp caught in her throat.

The girl meantime, noticed the loss immediately, and without breaking gait, looped back at full speed, starting to lift herself out of the saddle. She shook her left foot out of its stirrup and hooked it over the saddle horn, dangling herself over the horse's right side.

As she approached her hat, she swept down and picked it up, then settled back into her seat as if nothing unusual had happened.

After Akane jacked her jaw up from the ground, she tried to get a better look at the rider, but the girl had turned away again, and had also set the hat back on. Curiosity getting the better of her, she started to walk toward the open field, only to be stopped by a runner. He indicated that the second take of the fight scene was ready to shoot, and that they were waiting for her.

Sighing, she turned and followed the runner back to the set, musing to herself that she was probably just suffering from a bout of deja vu.

The rest of the day went fairly well, during which she noticed that every scene involving the horses went to the can in one take. As a result, by the time they wrapped for the day, they were actually ahead of schedule.

As the senior staff and herself were all getting into their cars to go for a supper 'celebration', she happened to glance over at the paddock area. She was surprised to see that the girl wrangler was sitting on a haybale inside it, actually having her supper with the horses. The people that had been with her had already gone, and she had expected that the girl had gone with them.

Grinning wryly, she mused how at times animals could actually be better company than people - unless they changed into people. Her expression darkened as she recalled a certain black pig that she almost barbecued for that very reason.

As she shook her head at the memory, it dawned on her that she hadn't thought about those days since leaving University, and also realized that she was suddenly thinking about them a lot.

Sighing aloud, she dropped into her car and started it up, deciding that a good stiff drink was suddenly in order.

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The next morning, she arrived on the location far ahead of most others, having endured a sleepless night in her hastily booked hotel room. The bed had actually been comfortable, but for some reason, her mind would not let her sleep. It seemed to be running at a hundred miles an hour, but not able to stay on one topic. She had tossed and turned all night, finally giving up when she noticed the sunrise. Bleary-eyed and clinging to a cup of coffee, she had stumbled to her car and driven in, hoping the location caterers were operational.

Walking toward the catering vans, she glanced over at the paddock again, wondering to herself if she'd see the girl again. As she continued along, her question was answered as she spotted her outside the fencing, working through an unnervingly familiar Kata. The sight sent a chill down her back, particularly as she noticed that the girl performed it so well, she appeared to be made of fluid.

In fact, she realized had she not known it all herself, she would have been totally unable to distinguish the separate forms.

She stood staring at the girl for several minutes, her own body twitching in time with her movements. As the wrangler approached one particular set of forms, she actually held her breath, remembering that they were so difficult that she could never master them. Her jaw fell open as she watched the girl move through them flawlessly, without even the slightest change in her demeanor.

Finally, the girl finished her exercises with a deep bow to the horses, and she could just barely hear the laughter as she discussed her performance with them. Then, the girl surprised her again by leaping up over the fence from a standing start, and landing ever so gently on the back of the horse nearest her.

As the girl and the group of horses all headed for the far end of the paddock, she finally snapped herself out of her trance and shook her head. She was now certain that there was more than coincidence involved in the youngster, and resolved that she was going to get to the bottom of it; right after some breakfast and several more cups of coffee.

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The day's shooting got underway early, and as with the day before, all of the scenes involving the horses went perfectly. The early start and increased pace resulted in all of them being completed by lunch, which left only a few minor scenes to shoot, and the job was going to be done; a full day ahead of schedule.

She wasted no time in heading toward the paddock area right after the final cut was called. She knew it would be her last chance to talk to the girl wrangler before she packed up her horses and left. Sure enough, as she walked up to the fencing, the girl was just loading the last horse into the trailer.

"Ano... I help ya with somethin'?" a young man asked as she stepped toward the trailer rig.

"Hai. I would like to speak to that young lady for a moment," she smiled pleasantly, indicating the girl.

The young man nodded in response, then turned toward the girl. "Hey, Sis! This lady wants to see ya," he called out, to a hearty "Haaii!" from the girl.

"Sis...?" she thought, her stomach tightening. "Damn," she added a moment later, trying to keep her expression pleasant.

When the girl turned and noticed who was waiting for her, she immediately flustered and straightened her dusty attire as best she could.

"Ah; sorry about the informality," she began, walking down the trailer ramp toward Akane. "These Baka brothers of mine don't know who you are," she added with a slightly sheepish smile, walking up and removing her hat.

Akane gasped again, her hand going to her gaping mouth. Before her stood a five-foot tall, very well-built red-haired girl, who was now looking back at her strangely with a pair of bottomless sea-green eyes.

The shock staggered her back a step, at which the girl lunged forward and grabbed her arm.

"Are you okay?" the redhead asked, worriedly.

"H - Hai," Akane breathed, shaking off her initial shock. "A... Aahh - what's your name?" she blurted, too shaken to bother with formalities.

"My name?" the girl echoed, raising her eyebrows. "I'm Saotome Atsuko, Ma'am," she finally responded, stepping back and bowing politely.

"Oh my God..." she breathed, her face draining.

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END - Little Red Part One A Ranma1/2 Fanfic by Coutuva

Comments Welcomed - Flames Extinguished!


	2. Chapter 2

As always, C&C is anticipated, accepted, and appreciated.  
All original Ranma1/2 Characters and Backstory Copyright Rumiko Takahashi, and are used without permission.

Please Enjoy!  
Coutuva.

Little Red - Part Two

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The business card in her hand looked innocent enough, but the name emblazoned across the top seemed to leap off the paper.

'Saotome Riding Stables and Boarding Ranch' it read, complete with the silhouette of a bucking, snorting horse.

As much as it hurt, she couldn't stop looking at it. It had been almost twenty years since she'd last heard that name, and it still twisted her in knots - although now for much different reasons.

"Ma'am? Are you feeling all right?" the red-haired girl asked, concern etched in her pretty face.

"Uhhh... Hai. I'm fine," she breathed, trying to snap her mind out of the tailspin it was slipping into. "I just... Remembered something. Anyway, I wanted to come over and personally commend your work. Thanks to you and your horses, we're ahead of schedule," she smiled, forcing herself to put the card in her pocket.

"Oh, Thank you very much!" the girl smiled back, as Akane winced at how much even the smile was the same. "But I have to give the pats to the guys that deserve them. They did all the work - I was just watching," she countered genuinely, gesturing toward the trailer with a proud smile.

"Well yes, they performed beautifully, but I've been noticing how you are with them. I wish I could motivate my people half that well," Akane smirked, noting how the girl flushed at the compliment.

"I don't do anything special," she began, somewhat sheepishly. "They're all smart, and they like to work. Tell you the truth, I think there's more ham than horse in this rig," she continued, looking back toward it happily. The obvious affection in the girl's sparkling eyes was not lost on her. It was a look she once knew well.

"Well, no matter why, they did a great job. Do you have an invoice for me?" Akane redirected, trying to steer the conversation in a certain direction.

"I'm sorry - the guy that hired us said we could just mail it in. I don't have it with me," the girl flustered, worriedly.

"That's okay. I'll see to it that you get paid immediately. I believe in rewarding good work," she smiled back, shooting back a wink. "So, since your family name is on the business, I assume your parents own it?" she continued, despite the growing knot in her stomach.

"Hai. They did, and they both ran it - until my Dad's wife passed away. Now it's just Dad, me, and my two brothers. You met Kin already, and Hiro is probably still at the catering trucks," she noted, rolling her eyes.

Akane had to suppress a laugh. "I see. Then you're the oldest?" she asked, hoping to get a little more background info.

"Hai. I just turned 19. Dad says it's more like 18 going on 30, but he jokes around a lot," she smirked, shaking her head. "He doesn't know *when* to be serious," she smiled, her eyes again lit with that certain sparkle.

She almost choked.

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The walls didn't change, no matter how hard she stared at them. Finally, she puffed out a huge, frustrated sigh and flopped on her back. Despite the rather important nature of the paperwork she had spread out on the bed, she found she simply couldn't concentrate on it.

All she could see in her swimming thoughts were images of him. How he once looked, how he once looked at her - and how he probably looked now. It was torturing her almost to the point of tears, and for the life of her, she couldn't understand why. She hadn't spared a thought to him in ages, but now it seemed, she was unable to do anything else.

Rolling on her side, she drew up her knees and bit her knuckle, unable to believe how the idea of him being only ten minutes away was getting to her. Even after what had happened all those years ago.

Her face contorted in a grimace as she tried to force the thoughts out of her head, knowing that dwelling on them would only make her feel worse.

Casting her gaze about the room to try to distract herself, her eyes fell on her purse, sitting on the dresser-table a few feet away. She stared at it for a moment, then gasped out loud.

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In a very neat, homey livingroom in Nerima, a pleasantly-dressed woman sat quietly reading, her husband out and son in his room. A small, content smile decorated her face as she read, belying the fact that she was well involved in a murder mystery.

Abruptly, the phone began to ring insistently, intruding on her moment with the grace of the proverbial bull. A soft frown chased away her content smile as she tossed a look at the annoying device, followed by a resigned sigh. Carefully placing her well-worn bookmark between the pages, she closed her book and rose smoothly, tucking it under her arm as she crossed the room.

Settling into the chair beside the phone table, she swept her long brown hair off her shoulder and smiled, then picked up the receiver.

"Moshi, Moshi," she greeted pleasantly, sounding delighted to get the call. Her smile, however, faded quickly at the response.

"Kasu-mi-hi-hi-hiii!" the voice wailed, rattling her usually unshakable cool and transporting her instantly back in time - to a point in her life where such calls were almost daily occurrences.

"Akane-chan? What is it, dear?" she asked soothingly, upon finally regaining the ability.

The sodden voice on the other end of the phone sniffed back its tears long enough to utter a single, stunning phrase.

"It's *him*!"

Kasumi set down her book.

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Even now, she couldn't believe it was happening. She was sitting on the shoulder of a long dirt road, sipping at a 'go' coffee, and staring up at the elaborate gates of the Saotome Riding Stables. It was an eerie feeling, seeing that name in such huge lettering, spanned across the mouth of a long, immaculately maintained drive.

Like it was inviting her to venture back into its domain.

Trouble was, she couldn't be entirely sure she had ever left.

In their rather one-sided conversation the previous evening, Kasumi had suggested that the only way to really know the score was to face him. As much as she objected at first, she eventually realized that Kasumi was, as usual, very right. Now that the demon had been reawakened, it had to be satisfied or killed - or it would never allow her to rest.

Taking another look up the road, she set her coffee in the holder, stepped on the clutch and turned the key.

"Now or never, Akane," she said aloud, slapping the car in gear and launching away in a cloud of dust.

Wheeling into the expansive property, she slowed to a respectable pace and continued up the drive, eventually pulling up in a parking lot. Noting the absence of the trucks and large trailer from the shoot location, she wondered if anyone was even around.

Stepping from the car, she looked over the grounds for some clue of where the office might be, finding instead a path leading through what looked like stables. Short of options, she started down the walkway, her heart pounding against her tightening chest.

A few minutes later, she passed between the buildings and into a large central yard, ringed on three sides by other structures. Off to her left, and surrounded by incredible landscaping, stood the largest house she had ever seen. It even had a full deck out front and a sunporch off the far side. To her right was what looked like an equipment shed, sporting five bays and a man door. The structures she had just walked between were indeed stables, which by the look of it could easily accommodate close to 90 horses.

The open area included a huge fenced arena, and several strange-looking armed contraptions, on one of which was tethered a horse, quietly walking in a long circle.

"Damn," she gasped, totally overwhelmed. She had always figured he'd do well for himself, but what she saw before her boggled the mind. Particularly since she wouldn't have expected him to even know what a horse was.

After a few more minutes of mindless gaping, she finally collected herself and started toward the house, figuring if anyone was around, they'd likely be in there. She hadn't managed two steps, however, before a sound caught her attention.

Off in the distance she heard what sounded like hooves, and as she listened, she noticed that they were coming closer. Turning, she looked across the expansive yard and out into the huge paddocks beyond, watching for signs of movement.

A few moments later, she could see someone approaching at a medium clip, riding a light-coloured horse.

As she watched breathlessly, the rider passed through the fenceline, stopped his mount, then turned back and closed the gate without dismounting. The rider then started toward her once more, this time at an easy walk.

She felt her heart rate rise, but wasn't sure if it was anticipation - or fear.

Finally, the rider came into range, and immediately tipped the brim of his hat. Akane saw a smile cross his darkened face, but couldn't see it well enough behind his hand. Quickly, she looked him over, hoping for some other sign. It didn't help.

If the man in the saddle was who she thought it was, he had definitely changed. He was bigger, more chiseled, and seemed very comfortable in his western shirt, well-worn jeans and boots. So comfortable in fact that he almost radiated inner peace - even from a distance.

Swallowing hard, she started toward him, smiling pleasantly. He lowered his hand, slowed and stopped his horse, then draped the reins over his saddle. In one fluid motion, he was off the horse and standing beside it, dusting off his clothes.

Abruptly, he stood straight, faced her and lifted off his hat.

She froze.

Ranma froze.

"Oh."

"My."

"God," they alternated, each bearing the same wide-eyed expression of disbelief.

Ranma was the first to break the stalemate. "You," he bit off, his tanned, slightly older face hardening.

Akane responded from somewhere she had tried to forget. "Yeah, me," she shot back, more gruffly than she wanted to.

He looked her up and down for a long moment, then huffed. "Why?" he asked pointedly, his eyes flashing.

"I... Don't know," she responded, quietly.

He chewed his lip. "Neither do I," he stated darkly, then turned, pulled off his gloves and started to loosen his horse's saddle.

Sensing things weren't going well, she tried for a change of subject. "I... Met your daughter," she began, only to have him turn back and spear her with his eyes.

"Did you tell her?" he snapped, startling her.

It took her a second to realize what he was probably asking. "No," she finally responded, emphatically.

His face softened. "Good. She doesn't know about you - or Nerima," he began, then leaned toward her slightly. "And I don't want her to," he added, fiercely.

The ferocity in his expression actually frightened her. She hadn't expected him to be all that happy to see her again, but neither did she expect so much anger - especially after such a long time. Resignedly, she accepted the obvious, and lowered her gaze.

"I am very sorry, Saotome-san. This... Was a mistake. Sayonara," she bowed smartly, then turned and walked away - quickly.

Before she even realized it, she was back in her hotel room, staring at her neatly-made bed. Two seconds later, she was sprawled on top of it, crying her heart out.

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It was nearly supper time. That was the first thing she realized as she regained her wits, and the second thing was that both her eyes and chest hurt - a lot.

Her first reaction was anger. She couldn't believe that she had let her guard down so easily, and allowed him to mess her up so badly. It was as if the last twenty years hadn't even existed.

But, before she could even finish getting upset, she received a very pronounced reminder that she hadn't eaten since her rather rushed breakfast.

Huffing, she dragged herself off of the bed, pausing briefly as she noticed that her pillow was drenched. Shaking her head disgustedly, she made a note to get a new one when she called room service.

Then she froze, realizing what had just happened. In her initial plan, she had figured on being home by this time, since she was already a day late getting back to the office.

"Damn you, Saotome," she cursed, storming off to the bathroom.

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END - Little Red Part Two A Ranma1/2 Fanfic By Coutuva

Comments Welcomed - Flames Extinguished!


	3. Chapter 3

As always, C&C is anticipated, accepted, and appreciated.  
All original Ranma1/2 Characters and Backstory Copyright Rumiko Takahashi, and are used without permission.

Please Enjoy!  
Coutuva.

Little Red - Part Three

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Since she would be stuck paying for another full day whether she stayed in the room or not, she decided to just stay. She also decided that it was a good time to employ her tried and true technique for alleviating stress - a pizza, a half-case of pop, and as much work as she could possibly do.

Using the time the pizza took to arrive, she got herself set up with her laptop computer, recharged cell phone and all of her documentation. Her goal was to use the chance to finish all of it off before she went to bed.

After the pizza arrived, her clothes came back off, her underwear went into the bathroom, and her skirt and blazer went between the mattress and box spring. Having not packed any clothes, or anything else for that matter, she was left to improvise. She counted herself fortunate that she was well accustomed to such things from her early days in 'The Biz'.

Wrapped up semi-comfortably in a large towel, she then settled onto the center of the bed and started to work, forcing herself to concentrate.

Her efforts succeeded for approximately half an hour, at which time a solid knock on her door startled her out of 10 years growth. Not making a sound, she slid off the bed and checked the peep, only to shudder at who appeared in the grossly distorted image.

Ranma. Smiling.

"Crap!" she cursed, quietly but angrily. "He would have to show up when I have no damned clothes!" she muttered, searching about for something to wrap up in. Finding nothing readily available, she glanced back out the peep to see if he was still there, intending to send him away. She was actually a bit disappointed to see that he had already left. "Where the hell did he go?" she asked aloud, moving about to try to see up the hall. "Jeez," she finally grumbled, and turned back to the bed.

Just as she reached it, however, the knock happened again. In a flash, she was at the door, only to end up blinking in amazement. She found Ranma again in the hall, this time proffering his Chinese shirt and pants, complete with his famous wry smirk.

Wordlessly, she unlocked and opened her door, then extended a hand. He placed the garments in it, then stepped back and leaned on the opposite wall as she drew them in. As she closed the door again, she couldn't help but notice him look at his watch, then back at her expectantly.

She heard him chuckle to himself as she slammed the door indignantly.

Despite feeling a little silly dressing in the same kind of clothes Ranma wore when he was a teenager, she looked herself over in the mirrored shower stall doors. She had to admit, she finally understood why he always wore them. They looked passable on either sex, and were easily adjusted.

Deciding she could put up with it long enough to see what he wanted, she headed back to the door and opened it, only to be greeted with a bemused look.

"Well, it'll do. Got your room key?" he continued, stepping up to her.

"Of course not. Why? We going someplace?" she asked, a bit surprised at his sudden and marked change of demeanor.

"Hai. I got the feeling you wanted to talk. I decided I'd like to listen," he replied, evenly.

"I'll get my purse," she responded, eyeing him suspiciously. He only nodded.

A few minutes later, they were climbing into his jeep. As if he sensed her curiosity, he looked over at her and spoke. "The rancher's Cadillac," he smirked, firing it up and grabbing the stick. "Got your belt on?" he asked, glancing over at her.

"Hai," she responded, about to ask where they were going. She didn't get the chance, however, as he wordlesly slapped it onto reverse and accelerated out of the slot.

A fast, silent and slightly wild drive later, they pulled up in front of his larger stable, at which he jumped down from the vehicle and stood waiting for her to join him. As she jumped down and stepped toward him, she immediately threw him an annoyed look.

"What gives, Ranma?" she asked, trying to conceal her actual relief at his choice.

Ranma only cracked a thin smile and disappeared into the stable. A few moments later, he reappeared with two tacked-up horses. "You know how to ride?" he asked, proffering her the reins of the slightly smaller horse.

"Hai - a little," she replied tentatively, completely thrown by the development.

"Good. Saddle up, there's not much daylight left," he half-smiled, then swung himself into the saddle of the larger horse effortlessly. Noting that she was still just standing beside the horse blinking, he walked his horse around hers and sidepassed over to her, extending his hand. "Grab hold," he indicated, at which she reached out and took it.

Her knees almost went to rubber as she felt the power in his grip. It had increased by at least double from when she had last felt it. Even more amazing was how he then simply deadlifted her easily 135 lb. frame and literally sat her in the saddle.

As she recovered from that surprise, he looked over at her again and smirked. "Put your feet in the stirrups, and then pick up the reins and follow me. The horse knows the way, so you don't need to do too much," he instructed, urging his horse forward.

True to his words, the horse she sat on followed right along, even as she was still trying to get her left foot in the stirrup.

All through the large yard, and out onto what appeared to be a well-worn trail, she noticed that Ranma remained silent. In fact, he almost seemed to be brooding. That observation had her very curious about his motives - if not a little nervous.

Again, almost as if sensing her concerns, Ranma half-halted his horse until hers caught up. As she fell in beside him, he tossed her a glance that spoke volumes - especially when followed by the question he asked first.

"Why are you here, Akane?" he opened, edgily.

"Like I said - I really don't know," she sighed, draping her arms on the saddle horn. "I was in the next town - overseeing a location shoot. When I got there, I saw a girl wrangling the horses, and she was really good. She treated them like friends - even ate with them," she explained, noting how he smiled to himself as she spoke. "Well, I was watching her ride one, and her hat blew off. The next day, I asked her name. The rest, you know," she concluded, looking over at him again.

"You still haven't answered my question," he responded, the edge noticeably absent from his voice. "Why are you here? As in, at this Ranch?" he repeated, looking over at her.

Akane swallowed hard. She had been dreading this question, but since she could never successfully lie to him, she didn't even try. Drawing a breath, she puffed it out and lowered her head. "Because I knew you were here," she confessed, quietly.

Ranma huffed. "Sure. I've been here since I left Nerima, Akane. You could have found me by using the phone book - just like I did to find you today," he replied, a touch of sarcasm in his voice. "There's more to it than that, isn't there?" he added, his tone remaining the same.

"You tell me. I've been trying to figure it out all damned day. I see your daughter and my life goes to hell in a handbasket. I'm even late getting back to my office because of it," she retorted, deliberately swatting aside her hair so he could see her eyes.

He looked right into them, then looked surprised. "Huh. Then I guess I was wrong," he abruptly remarked, frowning.

"Nani? Wrong? About what?" she asked, now totally confused.

"I thought you were here about Red," he responded grumblingly, actually looking more upset.

"Red?"

"My daughter. That's her nickname," he answered, distractedly.

"Oh. What's she got to do with this?" she countered, now as much curious as confused.

Ranma blinked aback, shot her a look she couldn't quite fathom, then huffed into a deep frown. She opted to just wait, figuring he'd get to the point eventually.

Instead, he just looked over at her for a moment, seeming almost to be studying her. She blinked, then a sickening wave surged through her gut as she realized there was only one reason for his behavior.

"You've never forgiven me, have you?" she finally asked, turning to meet his eyes.

His eyebrows raised. "Actually - yeah. A long time ago," he responded at length, then settled back in his saddle. "But, before I answer the next question, I gotta show you what's up ahead," he stated, his face sobering. "There's the turn... Stay close," he indicated, guiding his mount off the open path and through the trees.

Inwardly, she was in an increasing state of utter confusion. His manner was difficult to read, something that was definitely not normal for him. At least not as she remembered him. She found herself wondering what had happened to change him so much.

A few quiet minutes later, he stopped his horse and stepped off, tying the reins to a tree. Even in the dimming light, she noticed that the spot on the tree was well-worn. Wordlessly, she followed suit. When she finished, he gestured for her to follow.

He walked ahead of her through the brush, his steps deliberate and purposeful. Finally, he stopped and turned to his right, facing a small clearing. She couldn't help but gasp aloud as she moved in beside him - and saw the headstone.

Ranma then closed his eyes, clapped his hands, and quietly offered a prayer. When he finished, he turned and looked at her with misty eyes. "Akane, I'd like you to meet my wife - Saotome Akiko. She passed away four years ago - breast cancer," he stated, his voice tight. "It was her wish to buried here. She loved the outdoors," he continued, clearing his throat.

"Ranma..." she found herself saying gently, almost feeling his pain. He only smiled weakly.

"I brought you here - because she always wanted to meet you," he began, stepping up to the hand-hewn stone and picking off a few leaves. "I told her everything about me; we had no secrets. I met her the year after I arrived in this town, and we were married a year later," he continued, resting his hand reverently on the stone as he looked down at the earth beneath it. "That was when we started our family - and I started working here. Lived here, too. Had a room in back of the Ranch House," he explained, a smile again crossing his face.

"But... Don't you own this place?"

"I do now - have for the past ten years. Used to belong to Akiko-chan's family, but her parents were the last of the line. It became... Our inheritance," he explained, somberly. "Unfortunately, we were only able to share it for a few years. Akiko-chan got sick, and the disease... Took her pretty quick. I suppose... That's actually a blessing," he added, his hand stroking the monument as he spoke.

She was speechless. Suddenly, his melancholy made perfect sense.

"Anyway, she always wanted to meet you, Akane. I was never sure why, but I think it had a lot to do with what made me leave," he redirected, raising his gaze to her again. Strangely, there was none of the expected animosity in it.

"You mean... You told her the 'truth' truth?" she gasped, utterly horrified. "She must have thought I was awful. Especially since she had three children," she trailed off, her eyes widened.

Ranma smirked breifly. "No, actually. I think part of it was she felt sorry for you. Akiko-chan was an incredible woman, Akane. She had more love in her soul than anyone I've ever met, and was ready to share it whatever way she could," he corrected, almost wistfully. "Hell, the horses could even feel it in her, and used to follow her around like puppies," he added, smiling at the thought.

Despite her state, she had to smile at that. "So then she's the one that rubbed off on your daughter. From what I saw, that's exactly how she is," she noted, remembering the scenes. "That girl is incredible, Ranma. You two were blessed," she added, genuinely.

Ranma winced. "Hai. But not as blessed as we wanted to be," he countered, returning his gaze to the plot briefly. "You see, Akiko had a lot of health problems. Spent most of her time either sick or recovering, and never got to do a lot of the things she really wanted to. I tried to give her a good life, but because of that, I couldn't give her what she wanted most," he related, his voice becoming very quiet.

"What... Did she want?" she asked, the uneasy feeling returning to her gut.

He turned and looked back at her levelly. "Her own children," he stated, his eyes hard.

She was flabbergasted. "But you have three kids - and your daughter - looks just like you; uhm - your other you..." she sputtered, incredulous.

Ranma sighed. "Akiko-chan couldn't have kids, so we adopted. Kin, Hiro, even Red - all shortly after we married," he stated, his expression neutral.

"Then how... Does she look so much like you?"

"Simple. She's my daughter," he responded, candidly.

Her confusion stunned her silent - for about thirty seconds. Then, it hit her.

"Oh my God... No..." she gasped, eyes widening as she slumped to her knees.

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END - Little Red Part Three A Ranma1/2 Fanfic By Coutuva

Comments Welcomed - Flames Extinguished!


	4. Chapter 4

As always, C&C is anticipated, accepted, and appreciated.  
All original Ranma1/2 Characters and Backstory Copyright Rumiko Takahashi, and are used without permission.

Please Enjoy!  
Coutuva.

Little Red - Part Four

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"Finally figured it out, huh?" Ranma sighed at length, with a shake of his head. "Took you long enough," he added, snapping her out of her shock. "We went through a lotta crap, but we did it. I've had her since she was four years old," he explained, settling to a fallen log. "After I left Nerima, I made her my personal mission. I didn't care when, I didn't care what it took - I was gonna get her back," he stated, his eyes still on her.

It took a moment, but somehow, she found her voice.

"God, Ranma... I can't believe it. You actually did it," she breathed, finally meeting his gaze.

"Damned straight. I told you back then, Akane. She's my daughter, and there ain't no force strong enough to keep me away from her. I swore to you and everyone else that I'd find her and get her back - and that's exactly what I did," he responded, his eyes flashing despite his calm tone.

That was when it hit her. Her jaw fell open as she tried to find something - anything - to say, but the words just wouldn't come. Finally, she dropped her face to her hands - and wept.

"I... I'm so sorry, Ranma. I... Couldn't help it. This... This has been torturing me for years. I... Still have nightmares about it," she sobbed, at which he shocked her by only smiling knowingly.

"I'm not surprised. I know how much it hurt me," he commiserated, rising to walk toward her. "Especially since I wasn't around to stop it," he added, a touch of darkness in his tone.

She withered again. "Sorry... I... Was alone... And I was afraid... And I knew I couldn't face you. I just couldn't. I knew doing it would make you angry, but I was more scared of what would happen if I didn't. And with you and your Dad gone on that trip..."

Ranma huffed. "Kinda figured. But, what's done is done, right? Can't do anything to change that now," he responded, stunning her again.

"W-what?" she gasped, gaping back at him. "But... I thought..." she attempted, but he only shook his head.

"I was. For about the first five years. If I'd have seen you then..." he trailed off, a strange tone to his voice. "But, as I began to raise Red, I came to realize you'd actually done me a favour. For the first time in as long as I could remember, I was *really* enjoying my life. I was happily married to an amazing woman, had a wonderful, growing family, and was working at something I discovered I loved. In short, I had it all," he went on, a smile returning to his face.

She looked up at him in utter amazement, having already figured she was street okonomiyaki at least three times over. All Ranma did was chuckle. Finally, he walked up and extended his hand.

"Let's head back, Akane. I just heard the kids come in from picking up the new horses," he smiled, lifting her to her feet. She was still too overwhelmed to do much more than nod and follow along.

Even as she settled on her horse, her mind continued to reel, until she caught a glimpse of the headstone. For some reason, she found her eyes drawn to it.

Ranma apparently noticed.

"You woulda probably liked her," he sighed, into a small, wistful smile. "She was the warmest, most caring person I've ever known. She was pretty too, but not like a fashion model or anything. Had cinnamon eyes that could melt steel, and real soft skin. She kinda reminded me of Kasumi, because she could say more with a look than most people could in a sentence," he noted, his face softening. "We met when I was still working at the Dojo in town - before I started here. Over time, she found out about my 'mission', and out of the goodness of her heart, just decided to help me. Truth is, without her family's money and connections, I'd probably still be fighting," he went on, looking back at the stone. "During the endless bureaucratic crap and court cases, we fell in love, and eventually married. The very next day, she insisted that we apply for the adoption as a family unit, and it helped. We finally got Atsuko. The boys came along later. Akiko-chan loved them all, and raised them like they were her own, but she was especially fond of Atsuko. They kinda bonded from the start - hell, she even gave her the nickname 'Little' Red, since she was the second redhead in the family," he noted, a fond smile parting his face.

Akane found she couldn't help smiling, even as she wiped at her face. "She sounds wonderful. I wish I could have met her," she remarked, sighing. "Even just to say thanks," she added to herself, her heart twisting.

"Let's go, Akane. They could use a hand getting the horses settled," Ranma noted, looking back at the plot one more time. "Oyasumi nasai, Akiko-chan," he whispered emotionally, at which she actually felt a tear.

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As they cleared the brush and approached the main yard, She couldn't help but notice how Ranma brightened when he caught sight of his family. Just as she started to smile at the excited glint in his eyes, a whoop went up from beside the large rig backed up to the stables.

Instantly, Ranma urged his horse into a gallop, racing toward the figures now running toward him. Akane had to hold her own horse back, but still smiled at the sight of Ranma's flying dismount to scoop his daughter into a spinning hug.

The two boys immediataely flanked him, getting on his case for trying to get out of bedding the new horses. Their laughter could be heard echoing off of every structure in the area.

Eventually, Akane walked her horse up to the arena rail and climbed off, tying the animal off with something that resembled a slip knot. She deliberately stayed away from the commotion of the unloading, not only to be out of the way, but to give herself a chance to let everything that had happened soak in.

Before long, she saw Ranma notice her standing by the rail, and start to walk toward her. As he did, he gestured for Atsuko to join him. "Yo, Akane - what you doing over here?" he asked, striding up to her with a grin.

She shuddered at their approach, praying she'd be able to maintain her composure around Atsuko. From what she recalled of her first brief conversation with Ranma, she was certain Atsuko had no idea who she was, and assumed he wanted to keep it that way.

As soon as Atsuko caught sight of her face, she immediately gasped. "You! You're that Filmmaker!" she smiled, elbowing her father. "See, Dad? I told you she was a looker!" she teased, winking.

She flushed. Ranma shrugged. Atsuko laughed.

"So I'm a looker, ne? What's this, Saotome? You using your daughter to scope for prospects?" she intoned, raising Atsuko's eyebrows and drawing a tired eyeroll from Ranma. Inwardly, she was grateful for the escape hatch.

"Uh... Lemme guess; you two already know each other, don't you?" Atsuko asked, eliciting grins from both of them.

"Hai. Very well. We're old... Friends. That's why I was so interested in your name, Atsuko-chan," Akane explained, trying to be casual as she looked the girl over with new eyes. Suddenly, she seemed even more beautiful and even more perfect, adding a new kind of pain to the ache in her chest.

"Okay... Gimme a sec to get my foot out of my mouth," she frowned, shaking her head. "And here I was trying to get him to handle the business with you personally, so he'd actually meet someone," the girl smirked, at which Ranma shrugged. "Papa no Baka."

Akane couldn't help but break out laughing, and when Ranma followed suit a second later, she lost it again.

"Hey... It wasn't that funny," Atsuko blinked, regarding them both like they were crazy.

"It's a long story," Ranma finally explained, between laughs.

"Must be," she smirked, looking back and forth between them.

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After the horses were fed, watered and all their tack stored away, Akane stood beside a smiling Ranma as Atsuko drove the rig to the shed. "She drives trucks, too?" she asked, more impressed with the girl every minute.

"Hai. She's better than the guy we had hired for it, so we let her do it now. She can back an eight-stall down an alley if she has to," he noted, proudly.

"She really is incredible," she breathed, realizing sadly that if Ranma kept talking, she was going to lose it. "I... Better get back to my room now, Ranma," she stated, trying to smile through her stinging eyes. "I... Have to get my work done eventually," she sighed, pulling out her phone. "It was really..." she began again, only to be cut off by his hand landing on her shoulder.

"Okay, I'll get Red to drive you - I got some things to do so we're ready for the morning crowd. Uhm... Why don't you just get your stuff and come back? You can leave from here in the morning with a real breakfast under your belt. Hiro is an expert cook," he suggested, smiling his famous smile.

"Sure... I'd... Actually like that," she smiled back, despite her surprise at the offer. She had expected he'd be glad she was leaving. Her heart actually skipped a beat when she found herself wondering if things really were behind them now - which made her feel better than she had in years.

"Great! I'll set it up," Ranma smiled, apparently also quite pleased.

Ten minutes later, she and Atsuko were on their way back to town, chatting idly about horses and the film. As the trip progressed, Akane began to notice that Atsuko seemed preoccupied. At first, she wasn't sure if it was a real impression, or just her still rather unsettled state making her suspicious, but as time went on, her curiosity got the better of her. "Is something bothering you, Atsuko-chan?" she asked, carefully.

"Hai. I'd like to ask you something. You said you're an old friend of my Dad's, right? Does that mean you're from Nerima?" the girl responded pointedly, glancing over at her.

"I am. We grew up there," she supplied, getting the distinct impression she wasn't going to like where the conversation was going.

Atsuko sighed. "I see you're wearing my Dad's emergency clothes, and I noticed how familiar you are with him. And I noticed something else - the way you were looking at me tonight," she stated, sounding as if she was building a case. Akane felt her stomach tighten.

Atsuko glanced over at her once more - and seemed to set herself. "Please forgive me, but I have to ask you this; are you... My mother?" she asked, amazingly calmly.

Akane shuddered, then slowly deflated. "How... Did you know?" she finally asked weakly, expecting the worst.

"Akiko told me - just a few days before she passed away. She wanted to be sure... I would know my real mother someday," the girl replied, her voice tight. "She always told me I was adopted, just... Not like my brothers. Dad wouldn't ever say anything about it. Finally, she did, but made me promise never to tell him that I know," she added, sniffing.

Akane, her own eyes stinging again, drew a long breath and steeled herself. "I think Akiko... Was a very special person... And it looks like I owe her a lot," she began, fighting to steady her voice. "I really, really wish wish I'd have been able to be more like her," she stated, staring at the fingers she had enmeshed on her lap. "In a weird sort of way... I'm actually glad things worked out the way they did. She did a wonderful job with you; and with Ranma. I couldn't... Have asked... For more..." she trailed off, as the years of regret and remorse finally surged through her shattered defenses.

A moment later, she felt the vehicle lurch to the gravel shoulder and jerk to a stop. Gasping, she raised her head to check on Atsuko, only to find herself being pulled into an urgent, heartfelt embrace.

"No No Noooo... I've been praying I'd get to meet you, no matter what," she sniffed into Akane's ear, starting to cry herself. "I don't care about anything else, and I don't even want to," she added, tightening her hug.

"Atsuko-chan... I'm so sorry... And I've missed you so much," she sobbed back, shifting around to return the hug. "I can't lie to myself - or anyone else any more. I've loved you since the day you were born, and hated myself for what I did..." she blubbered, only to feel a finger press across her shuddering lips.

"I love you too, Mom..."

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Ranma looked up from his Equestrian Monthly magazine, his acute hearing detecting a familiar sound. Beside him, Kin and Hiro also looked up.

"Sounds like Red," his son Kin drawled, to a chorus of nods. A few moments later, he smiled as Atsuko drove into the yard. Just as he went to rise from his deck chair, he smiled even more broadly as Akane's car pulled in behind her.

Walking across to the steps, he watched as the two women got out of their vehicles and met each other - then almost face-faulted as they hugged happily. His face stayed disjointed as they held each other for a few more seconds, then separated and walked toward him - holding hands.

It was a scene torn from his fondest dreams - and he immediately knew who was responsible for it. "Arigato, Akiko-chan," he thought to himself, his chest tightening. He had wanted to gauge Akane's reaction before telling Atsuko, but his wife had apparently known better.

By the time they reached him, he had managed to regain his composure, and was smiling so wide his face hurt. "So what does this mean?" he asked, cagily.

"It means I found my Birth Mother!" Atsuko almost squealed, hugging Akane again. "And better yet, I actually like her!" she added, teasingly.

Akane only smiled ecstatically - and nodded emphatically.

He couldn't believe his ears. "At last!" he shouted, immediately scooping both women up and hugging them to him, laughing like a man possessed.

"Careful, Dad! You're going to break Mom in half!" Atsuko laughed, thumping his shoulder weakly.

He stopped in mid-laugh, the word shooting through his brain like a katana. Instantly, he looked at Akane, whose face was inches from his. He had to look twice at what he saw, just to make sure he was actually seeing it.

She was looking over at Atsuko, her cheeks glowing, her dark eyes misty - and her face bearing a mixture of pride and happiness. "Mom..." she repeated softly to herself, a tear rolling from her eye.

"It fits - just like I always knew it would," he commented, smiling gently as she turned to face him. She looked into his eyes for a long moment, then threw her arms around his neck.

"Ranma no Baka," she sniffed, hugging him tightly.

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END - Little Red A Ranma1/2 Fanfic By Coutuva

Comments Welcomed - Flames Extinguished!


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